Moistening device.



G. J. WARD.

MOISTENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1911.

1,06OQ5 1 8, Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

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CYRUS J. WARD, 0F WHEATON, ILLINOIS.

MOISTENING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

Application filed July 1, '1911. Serial No. 636,443.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUS J. WARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wheaton, in the county of Dupage and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Moistening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to articles used as moisteners for the fingers of a person in handling, counting, removing, or separating sheets or layers of light, thin material, such as paper, green-backs, etc.

The present invention has for its objects the construction of a simple compact moistener which may be fashioned in an artistic manner to be worn, if desired, as an article of ornament, as, for example, in place of a watch charm.

It is also an object of this invention to so construct the interior of the moistening device that a relatively great amount of moistening liquid may be retained therein without liability of its oozing out or of its overflowing when put to use.

It is a further object of the present invention to construct and arrange the various parts of the moistening device in the simplest possible manner, the parts being so shaped and positioned that it is possible to put together the device with a minimum of joints and connections.

The invention further consist-s in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of the moistener of the present invention, fashioned as a watch charm; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a cross section therethrough; Fig. 4 a cross-section therethrough showing another method of constructing the casing thereof; Fig. 5 a cross section therethrough showing still another method of constructing said casing; Fig. 6 is a view of the moistener showing ornamental efiects that may be secured thereon; and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a moistener of larger size as applicable for stationaryuse on a desk.

It is generally the case that persons engaged in occupations where considerable handling of paper or money is necessitated must continually moisten the fingers to facilitate such work. Where it is possible to place a moistening pad conveniently beside a person, such means are often used, but

where this cannot be done one is compelled to moisten his fingers upon the tongue. It is to provide a relatively small yet serviceable moistener which may be conveniently carried or worn, and thereby obviate the unsanitary habit of moistening ones fingers upon the tongue, that the present invention is principally designed.

The invention comprises a casing 8 formed, as best shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, of sections 9 and 10, adapted to be secured to each other as at 11 to form a tight joint. The manner in which said sections may be joined may be by any well known means, such as the beaded construction shown in Fig. 3, the screw-threaded construction shown in Fig. 4, or the hinge construction shown in Fig. 5, or indeed any other desirable manner. In the present invention it is desirable that the edges of the casing 8 along its periphery be rounded as at 12, and that in at least one of the two flat faces 13 thereof an opening 14 circular or otherwise be formed. Across said opening within the casing 8 is a perforated disk 15 shaped in conformity therewith, but of a somewhat greater size to prevent its slip-' ping therethrough. It is also intended that the edges of said disk shall be shaped to bear against the rounded edges 12 of the casing substantially at the point where said rounded edges commence, thereby preventing lateral movement or displacement of said disk,

Within the interior of the casing and bearing against the disk 15 is a quantity of absorbent material 16 which may consist of a sponge or any other'suitable porous material adapted to retain therein a quantity of moisture. The said absorbent material is designed to fill up the interior of said casing except along its rounded periphery 12, being held from contact therewith by means of a ring 18 fitted within the interior of said casing around the edges thereof, and formed with perforations 19 at desired intervals therein, an annular chamber 20 being thereby provided around the porous material within the chamber.

From the foregoing description of the moistening device and the parts entering lnto its composition, it will be readily understood that the material of which the casing is formed may be any suit-able metal or other substance, it being obvious that glass, rubber, celluloid, or various compositions of matter might answer equally as well. It should also be understood that the disk 15 which has heretofore been described as perforated may be formed of a single piece of material having openings therein, or may consist of a number of strands of material interwoven to form a gauze or mesh; the object being in either case to provide a guard across the open face of the casing through which contact with the wet absorbent material therein may be had upon application of pressure thereupon by the finger. The material of which said disk is composed may obviously be any suitable metal or composition of matter. The artistic and ornamental effects of the moistener of the present invention may be further enhanced by incorporating upon the perforated disk a fancy design, such as the monogram illustrated in Fig. 6, which design could be used to designate to whom the device belongs.

Although the figures represent one face of the casing as open and protected by a perforated member, and the other as closed and having no opening therein, the device of the present invention need not necessarily be so formed since it is practical and may be expedient to form both faces of said casing alike, having openings therein with perforated disks thereunder, thereby permitting ontact with the absorbent material by the fingers on either side of the casing.

The moistener which has been herein described possesses several distinct advantages which give it unusual value. In addition to its novel form of construction by which it is adapted to be carried and worn as an ornament and thereby be particularly useful for such persons, as conductors, collectors, and others engaged in itinerant occupations, the moistener is so designed that a relatively large amount of moistening liquid may be retained within the chamber, thus obviating the necessity of constantly replenishing the same.

In a simple moistening device embodying an absorbent and receptacle therefor, upon contact of the fingers with the said absorbent and the resulting pressure thereupon, the liquid which is soaked up in all the pores of said absorbent will ooze out and likely overflow the receptacle. Besides furnishing an excess of moisture and tending to slop around the said receptacle the liquid which has overflowed will necessitate replenishment. In the present moistening device this objection is overcome. When pressure is exerted upon the absorbent within the casing by the fingers bearing against the perforated disk, the liquid squeezed from the said absorbent will flow through the perforated ring 18 into the annular chamber 20, thus taking care of any overflo-wt On account of this novel construction, the

moistener may be used at any time without danger of slopping its contents. After pressure has been withdrawn from said absorbent the liquid which has entered the chamber 20 will tend to be reabsorbed into the porous material, and in this manner is not lost except as it is used up or evaporates.

When my moistener is put to use, it is intended that the finger or fingers which it is desired to wet shall bear upon the perforated disk and so come in contact through the openings therein with the moist surface of the absorbent. It should be noted that, when the fingers exert pressure upon said disk in order that they come in contact with the moist absorbent, the said compressing movement tends to bring the moisture to the surface of the absorbent, and this in an even manner entirely across its contact face. In this manner, it is possible for the fingers to secure a more even and general distribution of the moisture from the absorbent than if their contact were made upon aportion of the surface thereof of less area in extent. The disk itself tends normally to rest against the interior edges of the face of the casing, this being due to the outward pressure exerted upon it by the moist absorbent within the easing. On account of the rounded formation of the edges of said casing and the size and shape of said disk with respect thereto, after each compression upon the absorbent the said disk will return to its normal position, it being guided thereto by the said rounded edges and the perforated ring.

I claim: I

1. In a moistening device, the combination of a circular casing having two flat faces, one of said faces being formed with an opening thereacross, the curved surface of said casing being rounded substantially semicircular in cross section, a circular perforated disk within said casing, of a proper size to engage its edges with the rounded curved surface of said casing substantially in the plane where said rounded formation commences, an absorbent material within said casing, adapted to retain therein a quantity of liquid, the said absorbent material also serving to bear against said disk to hold the same in place, and a perforated ring within said chamber surrounding said absorbent material, said ring being of a width substantially the thickness of the casing and of a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the flat faces of the easing whereby an annular chamber is provided around said absorbent to which or from which liquid may flow according to the amount of saturation of the said absorb ent material, substantially as described.

A. m t n ng devi e consisting of a box-like casing having the major portion of one of its faces open, the edges of said casing being rounded, a movably mounted perforated disk adjacent the inner side of the open face of said casing having its periphery in engagement With the rounded edges of said casing, substantially in the plane Where said rounded formation commences, an absorbent material yieldingly positioned Within said casing adapted to retain therein a quantity of liquid, said absorbent material acting also to bear against said disk to hold the same in place, and a perforated ring Within said receptacle surrounding said absorbent material providing an outer 15 chamber therearound arranged to permit flow of liquid therefrom into said absorbent substantially irrespective of the position of the device, said perforated ring serving also to guide the said disk when moved against 20 the pressure of said absorbent,substantially as described.

CYRUS J. WARD. Witnesses:

F. W. Conn,

EPHRAIM BAN NING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. C. 

